| | The Matchup: Ed Belfour vs. Roman Turek
The Question: Who is the better goalie right now, and did Dallas make the right move by trading Turek?
Ed Belfour
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Roman Turek
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Belfour backup slowly taking center stage in St. Louis
Given the Dallas Stars' situation -- having two quality goaltenders -- something had to give this past offseason. Choosing between starter Ed Belfour and up-and-coming Roman Turek was a tough decision. The timing was unbelievable, coming the day after winning the Stanley Cup.
Turek, 29, entered this season having played only 55 NHL games, exactly 10 times fewer than Belfour (550). The most games Turek had ever played in one season was 26. Today's starting goaltenders play anywhere from 55-70 games, so his longest season amounted to less than half a season for a No. 1 goalie. In that respect, Turek was still unproven.
Obviously, the Stars liked what they saw from Turek, based on his potential and his size (6-foot-3, 190 pounds), which makes him like today's bigger goalies. But the Stars' decision came down to potential vs. experience. Because Turek had not yet developed a personality as a No. 1 goalie -- and still hasn't -- the Stars went with Belfour. If Turek stays healthy, we will find out how he looks as a No. 1 goalie at the end of the season. Until then, he is still a goalie with great tools and potential more than anything else.
The Stars were built on experience, making the 34-year-old Belfour a better fit with the rest of the team. He is a two-time Vezina Trophy winner, a two-time all-NHL first-team goalie, and a four-time Jennings Trophy winner. Belfour had history behind him. But despite his track record, the only knock against Belfour before last season was that he had never won a Stanley Cup.
Belfour, a huge competitor, sometimes allows his intensity to distract him. But last year he was able to focus better mentally. If he hadn't, the Stars probably wouldn't have won the Cup. But he mellowed out, making him an even better goalie -- one who could have easily won the Conn Smythe as the playoff MVP. Had Belfour not changed, I think the Stars might have gone in the opposite direction, keeping Turek instead of Belfour.
Now, Belfour has picked up where he left off last year and has been the Stars' best player. The Stars have suffered through several key injuries; and without Belfour on the ice every night, they would be awful and in a tremendous hole.
These days, 34-year-old goalies aren't old. They remain in great shape, making experience even more valuable. Belfour is not in jeopardy of becoming too old to perform in the next two years. The Stars had to reward production; what message would they have sent to the rest of the team had Belfour won the Cup and then been traded?
He is at the pinnacle of his game. The Stars had to stay with him and made the right choice. Belfour is proving they were right. It's not Turek's fault. He's finally being given a chance to flourish -- just in St. Louis, not Dallas.
Brian Engblom is a color commentator and analyst for ESPN's NHL coverage. He played 11 seasons in the NHL. | |
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